General Assembly Update

January 24, 2010

Dear Friends:

It has been an exciting and fast-paced first week and a half in Richmond.  Not only was our 71st Governor inaugurated last weekend, but all budget amendments and bills for the 2010 session were submitted by last week’s deadlines.  At last count, 2,250 bills will work their way through the legislative process this session. There is a link to the bills I will patron this year and you can follow their progress, or that of any other bill, through the General Assembly website:  http://legis.state.va.us.

Two bills of interest that I submitted this year are legislation that will create an Offshore Wind Development Commission, which will promote and oversee offshore wind projects.  A second energy bill that I am carrying for Governor McDonnell designates 80% of any royalties we receive from offshore projects to Transportation and the other 20% will go to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, made up of colleges and universities in Virginia doing research and development primarily involving offshore renewables. This is an exciting time in the energy arena and it is my hope that these promising projects go from research to reality in the near future.

As my bills move through the committee system, one has passed that will authorize the marine patrol divisions of local police departments in the Tidewater area to patrol and enforce all federal security zones, federal safety zones and federal restricted areas located within the tidal waters of the Commonwealth.  This bill was requested by the Coast Guard to provide assistance with Homeland Security.

Governor McDonnell and his new administration face the daunting task of covering an approximately $4 billion shortfall in the state budget, after inheriting this biennium’s budget from the former Governor.  We in the General Assembly must work together to find common sense solutions for funding Medicaid, the most critical part of the state budget due to the matching requirement with federal dollars; K-12 education, the largest part of the state budget, transportation and public safety.  With the health care crisis looming and over 10% unemployment, we have our work cut out for us.  We need to cut back on non-essential services and concentrate on making state government leaner and more efficient.

Governor McDonnell’s theme for his administration is “A Commonwealth of Opportunity.”  As a state that is considered one of the most business-friendly in the country, Virginia must continue to provide encouragement for businesses to locate here through tax credits and other incentives and work more diligently to create new jobs. Two ideas in the Governor’s plan include doubling the amount in the Governor’s Opportunity Fund from $15 million to $30 million to attract new businesses to Virginia; creating an income tax credit of $500 per new “green energy” job and making it easier for businesses to qualify for a tax credit of $1,000 per job created.  Also on the table are plans to increase Virginia Tourism Corporation funding along with an increase in the Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, encouraging tourists to visit and movie makers to locate and film their movies in Virginia, which in turn boosts state coffers and Virginia businesses.

I met with many concerned citizens and interest groups in the last week, including constituents from the Virginia Interfaith Center, Tidewater Community College students, local Bankers, Eastern Virginia Medical School students, the Medical Society of Virginia and the Virginia Beach Community Services Board.  Many are concerned about our most fragile citizens, the mentally challenged, mentally ill, the elderly and the working poor.  I share those concerns and will work towards protecting the interests of those Virginians who cannot speak for themselves.

I hope you will contact my office with any concerns you may have.  I depend upon you, my constituents, to keep me informed on the issues of the day.  If you visit the Capitol, please come by Room 312 to say hello.

Sincerely,

Frank Wagner

Contact Information Jan. 13, 2010 – Mar. 13, 2010: 

804-698-7507-Richmond Office

District07@senate.virginia.gov

PO Box 396, Richmond VA  23218